Latitude API Launched By Google For Developers

Yesterday Google announced on their Official Google Mobile Blog the Google Latitude API specifically for third-party app developers, so that a user's location can be integrated into the app's operations. They also recognized the need to keep users in control of information that reveals their location.

Phandroid writes how that will be maintained by mentioning that "users will need to specifically grant Latitude access to an app before it can begin using the service, but I think this is a great way to get more people interested in Google’s location-tracking venture."

Google tries to kick-start the development of apps harnessing this new ability by mentioning these possibilities:

Thermostats that turn on and off automatically when you’re driving towards or away from home.

Traffic that send alerts if there’s heavy traffic ahead of you or on a route you usually take based on your location history

Your credit card accounts to alert you of potential fraud when a purchase is made far from where you actually are.

Photo albums so your vacation photos appear on a map at all the places you visited based on your location history.

Androinica makes a relevant observation by saying that "apps are becoming more about “location, location, location."